Capping apparatus



July 3l, 1923.

W. V. DERBY CAPPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24 1920 stent duly E, l 'i WILLIAM V. DERBY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 THE 1v-zy N'D SEAL COMPANY OF BALTIMORE CITY, 0]? BALTIMORE, -YLAND, A 09E.

PORATGN OF MARYLAND.

@PING APFARATUS.

Application filed September 24, 1920. Serial No. 412,523.

To all 'whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM V.. DERBY, a citizen of the United States, residingat Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Capping Apparatus, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a art of the same. o

his invention relates to improvements in ca ping apparatus.

t is the principal object of the invention to provide a capping apparatus having a simple and e'ective compensating mechanism.

With this general object in view the in vention consists in the combinations, details of construction and arrangements of parts which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawing and then more particularly pointed out.

In the drawingc Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section with parts in elevation of a capping apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention' 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to a portion of Fi 1 with the parts in a dierent position.

eferring to the drawings, in the embodiment illustrated, a housing 11 is supported on a column 12.' The housing carries a hopper 13 from which crowns or other caps are delivered in any suitable manner to a chute 14.

There is provided a capping plunger having a capping die associated therewith and in structures embodying the invention to the best advantage the capping plunger includes a tabular member. Although capable of various constructions, in the particular embodiment here shown, a capping head designated generally by 15, has a long tubular member 16 mounted tol slide vin bearing brackets 17 carried by the housing 11. Secured to the lower end of this tubular member 16 is a.throat carrier 18 in which is mounted the throat ring or capping die 19.`

scription is necessary as such capping dies are well known in the art.

l Below the capping die is a crown platform 20 communicating with the chute 14 so as to receive crowns therefrom. The capping plunger also includes a casing 21 threaded into the lower end of tubular member 16.

lThis casing encloses a presser foot 22. Be-

tween the presser foot 22 and an abutment 23 adjustably threaded into casing 2l, is a spring 24.

There is provided a bottle support which may conveniently be stationary with respect to the capping plunger. Such a support is illustrated at 25 and may be of any suitable construction to support a bottle 26 below the capping plunger.

The invention in its entirety includes a transmitting element relatively movable with respect to the capping plunger, operating means for lowering the transmitting element toward the bottle support with a fixed stroke, and means for causing the capping plunger to descend with the transmitting element until a predetermined resistance is encountered and for then permitting the plunger to yield.

While the construction of this transmitting element may vary within a wide range, in the embodiment here shown as an example, slidably mounted on tubular member 16 is a sleeve 30. This sleeve is connected by a pin 31 with an abutment block 32 located within the tubular member. Pin 31 passes through oppositely disposed slots 33 formed in the wall of the tubular member 16.

The yieldable connection between the transmitting element and the capping plunger may also vary. When the transmitting element is constructed as above described, this connection may conveniently be a spring between the abutment and a portion of the capping plunger. Although capable of various constructions in the present embodiment a divided spring is provided. One coil spring 34, enclosed within tubular member 16 bears against the bottom of abutment 32 and against the shouldered casing 21.

A similar spring 35, also enclosed within.

the tubular member, bears at one end against a shoulder 36 formed on tubular member 16.

lts other end bears against a collar 37 threadedonto a rod 38 which is threaded intoabutment block 32. Both springs are under a slight initial compression. ahoulder 36 also serves as a stop to limit the ilp- Ward movement of the abutment block.

The operating means for lowering the transmitting element may also vary Within a Wide range. For example, with a transmittin'g element such as that described, the sleeve may be a rack and meshing thereivith may be a member operated with a iixed stroke. Although capable of various constructions, in that here illustrated, the sleeve 30 is formed with rack teeth 40. Meshing with this rack is a gear 41. As shoivn, this gear is incomplete or mutilated, having two oppositely disposed toothed portions as clearly appears in the drawing. The other toothed portion of this gear 41 meshes with a rack 42 which, in the present embodiment, is stationary, being secured in any suitable manner to housing 11.

rlhe ar 41 may conveniently be operated by a sliding block having a crank pm connection with a rotary member. ln the embodiment here illustrated as an example, gear 41 has a slot 43 flanked by parallel tracks 44. Sliding on these tracks in the slot is a block 45. In this block is mounted a crank pin 46 carried by a crank d isk 47 mounted on a rotary pinion 48. This pinion. as here shown, is mounted on a stud shaft 49 and is rotated by a gear 50 with which it meshes. Gear 50-is mounted on a shaft 51 on which is also a bevel pinion52 meshing with a similar pinion 53. Pinion 53 is on a drive shaft 54 which may be rotated in any suitable manner.

The hopper shaft 55 may also be conveniently driven t'rom di'ive shaft 54. To this end, as here shown. meshing with pinion 48 is a gear 56 on a. shaft 57 having a Worm 58 meshing with ay worm gear 59. 'The latter is mounted on a shaft 60 which. through a friction clutch connection shown generally at 61, drives a shaft 62. Shaft 62 drives the hopper shaft through tivo intermeshiiig bevel gears 63 and 64.

ln operation, upon rotation of shaft 54 pinion 43 is rotated as will be apparent. This rotation, through crank pin 46 and sliding block 45 causes the gear 41 to be bodily lowered or raised With a fixed stroke. The gear 41 will ride over stationary rack 42 but rack 30 will be alternately lowered and raised toward and away from the bottle support. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1` rack sleeve 30 is about to descend, carrying with it, of course` the abutment block 32. As the abutment descends. the springs 34, 35 cause the capping plunger to descend iii unison with the transmitting element. As the capping plunger reaches the bottle, the cap 66 is picked up by the mouth 4continue of the bottle and pressed against the presser foot. Further movement of the plunger causes the spring 24 to be compressed, the throat carrier telescoping the bottle. This presser foot spring 24 is arranged, in the present embodiment, to have its coils close solid, thus xing the point in the conical throat ring 19 where capping takes place.

The unitary movement of the 'capping plunger and the transmitting element continues until a predetermined resistance is encountered by the plunger. llf the operating means has not completed its stroke, compensation now takes place. ln other Words, during the remainder of the fixed stroke of the transmitting element, the capping plunger yields, springs 34, 35 being compressed as the sleeve 3() and abutment 32 to descend relatively to the plunger. During this relative movement of the transmitting element and the plunger, the pin 31 rides doivn slots 33. Figure 3 shows the parts in capping position With the compensating springs compressed.

As the continued movement of the operating parts causes gear 41 to make its re turn stroke, the rack sleeve 30 is raised away from the bottle support. Provided compensation has taken place, the transmitting element ascends alone until the springs 34, 5 regain their original state of extension and abutment 32 reaches shoulder 36. Thereafter transmitting element and capping plunger ascend together to their original positions.

Meanwhile, the compression of spring 24 holds the presser toot 22 against the capped bottle until after the throat carrier is raised from the bottle. rlhe presser foot thus serves as a knock out to prevent the bottle from catching on the rising plunger.

The construction described provides a simple and effective compensating mechanism and one that make.. possible rapid capping of bottles.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1I ln a capping apparatus. and in combi nation, a capping plunger including a tubular member, a bottle support. a. transmitting element relatively movable with respect to the tubular member and comprising an abutment Within the tubular member and a part slidable on the tubular member, means acting on the. slidable part to move the same towards the bottle support with a fixed stroke. and a spring between said abutment and the capping plunger.

2: .ln a capping apparatus, and in combination, a capping plunger including a tubular member and a capping die, a bottle support, a transmitting element including a sleeve slidably embracing said tubular` member and an abutment located Within the tubular member and pinned to said sleeve, the tubular member having a slot through MND which the pin passes, operating means for lowering the sleeve toward the bottle support with a fixed stroke, anda spring between said4 abutment and the cappmg pluner. v g 3. In a capping apparatus, and in combination, a capping plunger, a bottle support, a transmitting element includin @a rack member slidably embracing said p unger, a stationary rack, a bodily and angularly movable operatin element having teeth meshing w1th sai racks, means for lowering said operating element toward the bottle support with a fixed stroke, and a spring connection between said transmitting element and the plunger, whereby the plunger is lowered toward the support until a predetermined resistance is encountered by the plunger and thereafter the transmitting element descends relative to the plunger.

4. In a capping apparatus, and in combination, a capping plunger including a tubular member and a capping die, a bottle support, a transmitting element including a rack-sleeve slidably embracing said tubular member and an abutment located within the tubular member and inned tothe sleeve, the tubular member iiaving a slot through'which the pin passes, an angularly! and bodily movable member meshing with said rack sleeve, means for moving said member with a fixed stroke, .and a spring between said abutment and the capping' plunger. f

and bodily movable operating element havin a connection with said abutment and sald transmittingvelement, means for lowering said operatin member toward the bottle support with a xed stroke and a spring connectionbetween said transmitting element and the capping plunger.

6. In a capping apparatus, and in combination, a capping plunger having a' capping die associated therewith, a bottle support, a transmitting element relatively vmovable with respect to the capping plunger'and including a rack, a stationary'l rack, Va slotted gear meshing with said racks, a block slidable in said slot, means including a crank a capping a paratus, and in combi-` nation, a cappin p unger, a bottle support,

a transmittlng e ement movable relative to4 said plunger, a fixed abutment, an angularlypin connected with said lblock for moving said gear with a fixed stroke, and a spring between said transmitting' element and the capping plunger.

In a capping apparatus, and in combination, a capping plunger having a capping die associated therewith, a bottle support, a transmitting. element relatively movable with respect tothe capping plunger and including a rack, a stationary rack, a. slotted gear meshing with said racks, a block slidable in said slot, a driving pinion, a crank in connection between said pinion and said lock, means for rotating said inion, and a spring between said transmitting element and the capping plunger. 'i

8. In a capping apparatus, andin combination, a capping' plunger including a -tubular member, a bottle support, a transmittin element including a rack-sleeve slidably em racing said tubular member and an abutment within said plunger and pinned to said rack-sleeve, the tubular member having a slot for the pin, a second rack, an angularly and bodily movable operating member having teeth .meshing with said racks, means for lowering said operating member toward the bottle support with a fixed stroke, and a spring connection between said abutment and the capping plun r whereby` the plunger is lowered towar predetermined resistanceis encountered by the plunger and thereafter the transmitting element descends relative to the plunger.

.nation, a cappm ting element including a sleeve'slidably embracing said tubular member, and an abut- 9. In a capping apparatus, and in combi-- plunger including a tubular member, a ottle support, a transmitthe support until a i ment within the tubular member, an internalA shoulder on the tubularmember above the abutment, a spring between the abutment and the lower part of the capp-ing plunger, a rod extending upwardly from the abutment, a collar on said rod, a spring between said collar and said internal shoulder, and `\operating means acting on said sleeve for lowerin the transmittin element toward the bott e support with a xed stroke.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto .set my hand. -A vjvILLIAMv v. DERBY.4 

